Electric switch.



No. 86a',7a1 PATENTE) 00T. 22, 1907.

o. s. HILL.

ELEGTRIG SWITCH.

ATTORNEYS 1n: Noskls Farris co.. wAsHlNcnw. n. c.

l UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

CHESTER S. lilLL, OF WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE L. CAMPBELL, OF WILLIAlVISPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELE OTRI() SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1907.

Application filed July 16,1906. Serial No. 326,368.

To all whom it muy concern:

Be it known that L'Cnnsrnn S. I'IILL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Williamsport, in the county of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, oi which the following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form apart of the same.

This invention relates to electrical contacts for general use, but particularly adapted for use in connection with control boxes for electric railway systems which employ a series ol' control boxes set along the line of the railway and adapted to automatically control the supply of current to separate Contact studs, or to an insulated third rail from which the current is taken by a shoe carried by the car.

In the accompanying drawing showing illustrated embodiments of this invention and in which the same reference numeral refers to similar parts in the several figures, Figure 1| is a vertical sectional view through a control box and showing in end elevation the Wheels of a car and an cloctromagnet carried by the car. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on lines 2-2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the control box showing the electrical contacts in their inoperative position. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on the line l-Ll of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a section of the track showing the series of contact boxes and the olectromagnet carried by the car. Fig. 6 is a detail View of a modifie d construction.

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention shown in the drawing 1-1 are ordinary traction rails upon which thc wheels 2, 2 of the car are adapted to run. The car, not shown, also carries a powerful electromagnet 3 having the poles 4, 4 which are so suspended from the body of the car as to approach closely but not contact with the extension pole pieces 5, 5 seated in the non-magnetic cover 7 of the control box 6. As shown 4these extension pole pieces 5, 5 are preferably raised slightly above the plane of the non-magnetic cover 7 of the box, although this construction is not essential. The cover 7 is secured to the box 6, which is preferably formed of somo rigid material, by means of bolts 8 and nuts 33, the washer 9 being preferably inserted between the cover and the box to exclude moisture and foreign substances from interfering with the contacts arranged in the box.

Mounted on the bottom of the control box 6 are brackets 10, 1() insulated from the box, however, by the insulation l1, 1 1. and the insulation 13, 13 which insu lates the brackets 10, 10 from the bolts 12,' 12 which se cure them to the bottom of the box. These brackets l0, 10 support the conductor shaft 14 formed of some good conducting material and loosely pivoted upon this shaft are the armatures 15, 15 which are insulated which is fastened in any suitable way, as by means of a from each other, but not from the shaft 14 by the nonmagnetic washers 16, 16. Each armature 15 carries a rod, preferably formed of copper or aluminium, 1 7, 1 7, which as shown is preferably curved.

Near the top of the control box 6 I mount a conductor bar 19, preferably formed of copper or aluminium, by means of a bracket 20, the bar being insulated from the bracket in the box by the insulation 21.' I connect the feed wire 22 to this bar 19 in any suitable manner, such as bringing it into the box through the hole 23, insulating it from the box by means of the insulation 24, and lead the end to the binding post 25. Over this conducting bar 19 which extends the entire width of the box I arrange a plurality of Contact strips 18, 18, preferably formed of copper or aluminium, and as shown ar 70 range and bend them into substantially a U-shape form with their ends extending a considerable distance below the conductor bar 19 and into the path of the rods 17 17.

When a car mounted upon the wheels 2 and carrying the strong electromagnet 3 is moved over one of the control boxes 6, the pole pieces 5, 5, in that box will become inductively magnetized and draw up the armatures 15, 15 until they are in a substantially horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1. When in this position the 80 rods 17 17 bear against the resilient strips 18, 18 and electrical contact is made from the feed Wire 22 conductor bar 19, resilient strips 1.8, 18, rods 17 17, armatures 15, 15, shaft 111, binding post 27, to the supply wire 26,

screw 30, to a section 29 of the third rail which is insulated by means of the insulation 31. This energizes one of the sections 29 of the third rail and the current is supplied from it to the motor of the car by means of the shoe 32 carried by the car in the old and well known manner. This third rail is divided into as many insu-I lated sections as there are control boxes 6, each section 29 of the rail being insulated from the others by means of the insulation 36, 36. As a car with its electromagnet 3 passes from one of the controlboxes 6 the pole pieces 5, 5, become demagnetized and the weight of the armatures 15, 15 causes them to rock upon the conductor shaft 1 4, dropping from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 3; as the rods 1.7, 17 are mounted upon the armatures and move with the saine they will be moved from contact with the Hexible pliant or supple strips 18, 18 and the electrical Contact between these parts will be automatically broken as a car passes from one control box 6 to the succeeding one. Y

It has been found in practice that once a contact is made by the contacts now in use in control boxes that the jar or vibration of the car acting against the magnetism of the extension pole pieces, such as 5, tends to break the electrical connection between the feed wire 22, and the different supply Wires, such as 26. Even if this jarring and vibration of the car only causes the electrical contacts to separate a one hundredth part of an inch an arc is lormed between the parts which under the heavy current used will i use the contacts, thus leaving a control box, and the section ol the third rail to which it is connected, alive section endangering trallic and nullifying the very object ol this entire sectional third rail system which is to only energize the particular section that the car for the moment is passingl over. By using my invention this objectionable arcing of the parts with the consequent danger to trallic is prevented for I make the rods 17, 17 contact with the resilient pliant or supple strips or surfaces 18, 18. Transverse vibrations of the control box 6, that is, between rails 1, l is taken up by the resilient strips 18, 18 which prevent the electrical Contact between the resilient or supple strips 18, 18 and the rods 17, 17, being even momentarily interrupted until after the car has passed the control box 6, in which they are mounted, and gone to the succeeding one where the parts have been caused to move by means oi the electromagnet 3 from the inoperative position shown in Fig. 3 to the operative one shown in Fig. 1 as previously described. To obtain a maximum contact surface in a minimum space I preferably employ as shown a number ol flexible strips 18, 18 and armatures 1.5, l5 carryingT the rods 17, I7 to coperate with the same. While I preferably use the flexible strip 18, 18 of copper, aluminium or other noncorrosive, but good electrical conducting material, I may form my conductor bar 19 oi circular cross-section, as shown in Fig. 6 where this clement is numbered 35 and loosely mount upon the same one or more rigid contacting strips 34 which are adapted to move slightly upon the conducting bar 35 as a pivot to compensate for the jarring and vibration oi the control box as the car passes over the same.

It is, of course, understood, as is well known in this art, that the electromagnet 3 carried by the car is of such length as to be able to span at least two ol the control boxes 6, 6 so that as the magnets 5, 5, in one control box become demagnetized by the electromagnet 3 passing from the same the equivalent magnets 5, 5 in the next box will be magnetized and attract the armatures' 15, 15, making the electrical contact between the rods 17 17 and the flexible strips 18, 18 in the manner previously described. It is also to be understood that in vplace of the sectional third rail which is here shown,

separate insulated contact studs which are old and well known in this art may be used in place oi the third rail.

Having thus described this invention in connection with several illustrated embodiments thereof, to the details of which I do not desire to be limited, what is claimed as new and what is desired to secure by Letters Patent, is set forth in the appended claims.

l. In surface contacts er sectional third rail systems, a control box, extension pole pieces within the same, a horizontal conductor shaft insulated from the control box, two or more armatures mounted upon the conductor shaft, means for insulating the armatures from each other but not from the shaft, rigid curved contact members carried by the armatures, flexible U-shapcd contact strips in elec trical contact with the source of current and having their free ends extending down into the path of the rigid curved Contact members carried by the armatures and a sectional third rail in electrical contact with the con ductor shaft.

2. In an electrical apparatus, a feed wire, a supply wire, a, conductor bar in electrical connection with the feed wi one or more pliant or supple contacting members carried by the conductor bar, electrical contacting devices in connection with the supply wire and means for causingl said electrical contacting devices to pinch the pliant or supple contacting member carried by the con ductor bar.

I. 1n electrical apparatus, a feed wire, a supply wire, a rigid conductor bar in electrical Contact with the feed wire, a pliant or supple contacting member' suspended from the conductor bar, electrical contacting devices in electrical connection with the supply wire and adapted to pinch the free end of the pliant or flexible contacting members carried by the conductor bar and means for causing such electrical connection.

l. ln electrical apparatus, a feed wire, a supply Wire, a rigid conductor bar in electrical Contact with the feed wire, one or more substantially Ushaped pliant or flexible contacting members supported by the conductor bar and electrical contacting devices in electrical connection with the supply wire and adapted to pinch the free ends of the U-shaped members or strips and means for causing such electrical connection.

In contact surfaces or sectional third rail systems, a control box, extension pole pieces mounted within the same,y a conductor bar and a feed wire connected to the same, one or more llexible conducting strips extending from the bar, one or more armatures, one or more contacts carried by the armatures adapted to pinch the free ends of the strips, a conductor shaft upon which the armatures are mounted, a sectional insulated third rail, a supply wire in electrical contact with the conductor shaft, the shaft and conductingr bar being insulated from the control box.

(i. In surface contacts or sectional third rail systems, a control box, two extension pole pieces in the same, a plurality of armatures, a conductor shaft upon which they are pivotally mounted, said shaft being insulated from the control box. rods mounted upon the armatures, and adapted to pinch the free ends of a strip, a source of current, flexible Contact strips in electrical contact with av source of current and adapted to coact with the rods carried by the armatures and a sectional third rail in electrical contact with the conductor shaft.

7. In an electrical apparatus, a feed wire, a supply wire, one er more pliant or supple contact members mounted on a support and in electrical contact with the feed wire, means to make a rigid electrical contact be- `tween the supply wire and a portion of said pliant or supple contact members leaving' a portion of said pliant or supple contact members, between the support and rigid contact, to yield or give under vibrations without affecting the electric contact between the members and the supporting wire.

8. In an electrical apparatus, a feed Wire, a supply wire, one or more pliant or supple contact members mount* ed on a support and in electrical contact with the feed wire, means in electrical connection with the supply wire, to pinch the free ends of said contact members, leav` ing the intermediate portion of said pliant or supple contact members to yield or bend under vibrations of the parts without affecting the electrical contact at its free end,

9. In surface contacts or sectional third rail systems, a control box, extension pole pieces within the same, a horizontal conductor shaft insulated from the control box, two or more arnmtures mounted upon the conductor shaft, means for insulating the armatures from each other but not from the shaft, curved contact members mounted on and carried by the armatures and adapted to pinch the free ends of the flexible contact strips, flexible contact strips in electrical contact with the source of current and adapted to form an electrical contact between the curved contact members carried by the armatures and a source of current, and a sectional contacting surface in electrical contact with the conductor shaft.

l0. In an electrical apparatus, a supply wire, a feed wire, a fixed conductor bar, Iiexible contact strips bent upon themselves to fol-ni substantially U-sliaped members and supported from the conductor bar and contact devices adapted to pint-1i the free ends of the strips to make an electrical connection and means to automatically control the making; of the electrical contact.

1l. In sniiace contacts 01 sectional third rail systems, a control box, a rigid conductor bnr, a feed wire connected with said conductor lnli and one or more substantially U- sliaped pliant or flexible contacting strips supported by said conductor bai' and electrical contacting devices in c011- neetion with the supply wire adapted to pinch the free ends of said strips and means for causing such electrical connection.

CHESTER S. HILL.

Witnesses FRED W. TnPnL, J. R. STEM). 

